Separator plate



Aug. 12, 1930. N. LLOYD 1,772,549

sEPARAToR PLATE Filed Nov. 23, 1927 III i A? ll mmm/iammmluma A IN VE/YTOE FRANK/M KMA/ZZA H/S ATTOaG/VEK Patented Aug. 12, 1930 V V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK N. LLOYD, F PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA SEPARATOR PLATE Applicationflled November 23, 1927. Serial No. 235,141.

M invention relates to electric batteries, the plates; and Fig. 2 is an elevation of a and as particular reference to secondary or separator sheet showing a method of reinstorage batteries of the lead'plate type. forcement. A portion is omitted in both An object of my invention is to provide views to reduce the size of the figures.

a separator plate which is unaffected by the Fig. 3 is an edge view of the sheet shown 55 electrol e. in Fig. 2, taken in the direction of the arrow Anot er object of my invention is to pro- 3 of Fig. 2. vide a separator plate which has ample and Fig. 4 is an edge view of a portion of two uniform porosity. interlocked separator sheets, drawn to an A third object of my invention is to proenlarged scale; and Fi 5 is a similar view 60 vide a separator plate which offers maximum showing a slightly diflerent shape and arsupport to the active materials of the batrangement of the interlocking parts. tery plate. Broadly considered my invention com- A further object is to provide a plate prises the use of sheets of plastic material,

which is highly resistant to compressive such as celluloid, in which are formed a mulstress. tiplicity of apertures of uniform width and Still another object of my invention is the spacing. The material from these apertures production of separator plates which may is not completely separated from the sheets, readily be assembled into a self supporting but remains attached thereto, being expandunitary structure. ed out of the plane of the sheet to form a 7 Still another object of my invention is to tongue which bridges the aperture. The provide a separator plate having the above width of the tongues is preferably equal to mentioned desirable qualities which may be the spacing between them, and two such produced at a cost well within practical. sheets may be placed with their homologous li it faces together, the tongues intermeshing or 75 My invention possesses other objects and interlocking and retaining the sheets in valuable features, some of which will be set spaced relation by the frictional engagement forth in the following description of my inof their edges. vention which is illustrated inthe drawings After assembly between the plates of a f i g rt of the specification. It is to be battery, retaining plates may be cemented :1.) understood that I do not limit myself to the to the edges of the separators to form a unishowing made by the said description and tary structure which prevents relative movedrawings, as I may adopt varying forms of ment of separators and plates. my invention within the scope of the claims. In terms of greater detail, I prefer to make The primary function of the separator in my separators as follows: 85 a storage battery is to prevent electrical con- A sheet-of celluloid or other plastic matact between the alternate positive and negterial 6 is heated and passed between dies or ative plates which it comprises. Its secondrollers comprising a multiple rolling shear. ary function is to give mechanical support The shape of the dies is such that a pluralto the plates, tending to prevent both buckity of rows of arch-like tongues 8 are sev- 1m ling or warping, and shedding of the active ered from and expanded beyond the plane material. A separator to be practical and of the sheet, each tongue bridging the apersatisfactory must do these things without re formed by its creation. offering too great resistance to electrical cur- The arches or tongues are uniformly 5 rents, and it should also be unaffected by the spaced, and the width of each arch is sub- 1m strong acid which constitutes the electrostantially equal to the lateral distance belyte. tween the arches. I prefer to leave a mar- Referring to the drawings: gin 9 at one edge of the sheet which is wider Fi 1 is a plan view of the separator asby the width of one arch than the margin 11 semb y asincorporated in abattery cell with at the opposite edge. The sheets are then placed together with the arches toward each other and the wide margin of one sheet opposite the narrow margin of the other. The sheets may then be forced together, the tongues on each sheet entering the interstices between the tongues of the other and the edges of the tongues engaging frictionally.

Two arrangements of the tongues are shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. In Figs. 1 and 4 the rows of tongues on the two sheets are opposite each other. In Fig. 5 each row of projections on one sheet overlaps a portion of two rows on the opposed sheet, with the exception of the outermost rows, which overlap a portion of one row only. Either arrangement gives a flexible trussed plate, readily conformable to the battery plates, highly permeable to the electrolyte, and strong in compression. In either construction the crests of the arches rest against unembossed portions of the opposed sheet, thereby maintaining the sheets at a fixed distance, and supporting them at a large number of points uniformly distributed over their surfaces.

As may be seen from the drawings the rows of arches are preferably alined both vertically and horizontally, and the separators are'assembled in the battery with'the arches themselves horizontal. From this it results that each aperture in the separator sheet opens into an unrestricted passage from top to bottom of the cell, and that active material shedding from the plates and working thru the apertures sinks directly to the bottom and has no tendency to bridge between the plates.

In Figs. 2 and 3 reinforcing ribs 12 are shown. These ribs are preferably of the same material as the body of the separator and they may be cemented or otherwise attached to the sheets. They are not essential, but may be desirable in certain circumstances.

The separator of my invention in its preferred form as illustrated in Fig. 1 lendsitself to a convenient assembly. A flange 13 is formed at the edge of each embossed sheet; and cemented to the flanges is a retainer 14. This can be done by spraying the plate. 14 with a solvent such as acetone or amyl acetate and pressing it on the flanges 13 after the battery plates 16 and the separator plates- 6 are in position. If instead of a solvent, a solution of celluloid is used to coat the retaining plate 14, the flange 13 may be omitted, the cement alone making a sufliclently strong union with the separator sheets 6. If desired the sheets 6 may be sprayed with a solvent after they are intermeshed. This gives a less compressible structure.

Altho the embodiments of my invention already described are the ones that I believe to be preferable, it is obvious that many structural modifications are possible.

It is also possible to use other materials,

trussed plates which I have described is not limited to battery separators. Similar plates may be made of metal and used as pads under heavy machinery, where it is wished to allow some ventilation, or where temperature conditions reclude the use of rubber or felt. Many 0t er similar uses will suggest themselves.

- I claim:

1. A plate comprising a pair' of opposed sheets having arched tongues ex anded therefrom, said tongues meshm an interlocking the sheets by the frictiona interengagement.

opposing perforated sheets, elements integral with each sheet at points of perforation, said elements interlocking to hold the sheets together.

5. A separator plate comprising a .pair of opposing sheets each sheet having a plurality of tongues with apertures underlying the tongues, the apertures of one sheet being opposite the unapertured portions of the other sheet, and the tongues being meshed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. 1

FRANK N. LLOYD.

such as rubber for the sheets. The use of the 

